D4VD: The Murder Case Of Celeste Rivas Hernandez

Did D4VD Show Us Who He Was Before Anyone Knew to Look?

25 min · 28. maj 2026
episode Did D4VD Show Us Who He Was Before Anyone Knew to Look? cover

Description

Everyone’s covering the evidence. The charges. The alleged timeline. This episode asks the question underneath all of it: who was David Anthony Burke before any of this allegedly happened, and what about the way he grew up allegedly made it possible? This episode strips the case back to the person. Burke grew up homeschooled and isolated in Houston. He told multiple interviewers he’d never experienced real relationships, real conflict, or real heartbreak — and he built a billion-stream career by performing all of it anyway. He called them “fake scenarios.” He said he created characters and channeled other people’s pain into songs audiences believed were autobiography. The first concert he ever went to was his own. The gap between what Burke projected and what he actually felt wasn’t a weakness. It was the entire engine. We walk through three psychological layers grounded in Burke’s own pre-arrest interviews and the prosecution’s filing: how manufactured authenticity became a career, how secrecy allegedly became an operating system long before any crime is alleged to have occurred, and how prosecutors say Burke allegedly ran parallel lives for over a year without anyone in his circle questioning what they saw. We examine the moment law enforcement told Burke that Celeste Rivas Hernandez was thirteen — the yearbook photo he allegedly showed deputies while claiming he’d only met her once, the thousand-dollar phone allegedly delivered through a classmate, and the matching “Shhh” tattoos that reportedly marked the alleged relationship. Then the alleged forty-eight hours: the podcast where Burke smiled through a conversation about heartbreak, the album release, and the tools prosecutors allege were ordered under the name “Victoria Mendez.” His biggest hit is called “Romantic Homicide.” His mother heard it and said it was “too violent.” The album that allegedly dropped two days after Celeste’s alleged death is called Withered. Burke has pleaded not guilty to all charges. His defense team maintains he is innocent and was not the cause of Celeste’s death. Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/ [https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/]  Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1 [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1] Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ [https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/] Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ [https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/] Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod [https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod] X Twitter https://x.com/TrueCrimePod [https://x.com/TrueCrimePod] This publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice. #D4VD #DavidAnthonyBurke #CelesteRivasHernandez #HiddenKillers #TrueCrime #JusticeForCeleste #TrueCrimePodcast #MurderCase #TrueCrimeCommunity #CrimePsychology

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105 episodes

episode What D4VD's Deputies Actually Missed That Day artwork

What D4VD's Deputies Actually Missed That Day

The D4VD case starts with a welfare check that got everything right except the one thing that mattered, and it ends with a first-degree murder charge. Tony Brueski lays out the complete timeline of what happened to Celeste Rivas Hernandez, from her first missing person report to the arrest.  Celeste disappeared from Lake Elsinore three times in early 2024. Riverside County deputies traced her phone records to musician David Burke and called him directly. LA County deputies then conducted a welfare check at Burke's West Hollywood home, where he showed them a yearbook photo and said he'd only met her once. Deputies confirmed to him that she was thirteen and a runaway. Then they left.  Prosecutors say that's when Burke allegedly paid one of Celeste's junior high classmates a thousand dollars to hand her a new phone so the two could keep in touch. Over the next year, she reportedly traveled with him to Las Vegas, London, and Texas, met his family, got matching tattoos, and wore his name on her ring finger, all while she was in seventh grade.  The unsettling overlap between Burke's public persona and the allegations against him is hard to ignore. His breakout song, his album title, and the alter ego built around both all echo what prosecutors now allege happened inside a Hollywood Hills home. Seven months passed between the discovery of Celeste's remains and Burke's arrest, a window that included three grand jury panels, a friend fleeing to Montana to dodge a subpoena, and Burke's family fighting the grand jury in a Texas courtroom.  Burke now faces first-degree murder with special circumstances, including lying in wait, murder for financial gain, and murder of a witness. The financial gain charge is the one prosecutors say connects the case most directly to Burke's public career.  Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/ [https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/]  Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1 [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1]  Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ [https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/]  Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ [https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/]  Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod [https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod]  X Twitter https://x.com/TrueCrimePod [https://x.com/TrueCrimePod]  This publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.  Hashtags  #D4vd #DavidBurke #CelesteRivas #TrueCrime #WelfareCheck #SystemFailure #GrandJury #TrueCrimePodcast #HiddenKillers #JusticeForCeleste

19. juli 202620 min
episode D4vd: His Biggest Song Title Hits Differently After a Murder Charge artwork

D4vd: His Biggest Song Title Hits Differently After a Murder Charge

David Burke's breakout hit has a title that now reads like something pulled directly from a prosecutor's filing. His debut album dropped two days after prosecutors allege Celeste Rivas Hernandez was killed. A 2025 music video depicts imagery that mirrors the prosecution's allegations almost point for point. This episode looks at the art, the charges, and the uncomfortable question of whether any of it will matter when a jury is seated. It also looks at what happened in the seven months between the discovery of remains and an arrest. Three grand juries. A close friend who reportedly fled across the country rather than take the stand. Burke's own parents, who allegedly challenged subpoenas in a Texas court instead of answering questions about a child who had visited their home. When the DA finally filed, they didn't go small. First-degree murder with special circumstances: lying in wait, financial gain, murder of a witness. Prosecutors also allege illegal material involving minors was found on his iCloud. Forty terabytes of evidence total. The preliminary hearing is set for July 21, 2026. This is Part Three of Hidden Killers' investigation into the D4vd case — where the music, the timeline, and the charges all land in the same place. Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/ [https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/] Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1 [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1] Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ [https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/] Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ [https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/] Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod [https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod] X Twitter https://x.com/TrueCrimePod [https://x.com/TrueCrimePod] This publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice. #D4vd #CelesteRivas #HiddenKillers #RomanticHomicide #DavidBurke #TrueCrime #GrandJury #Murder #LosAngeles #JusticeForCeleste

14. juli 202610 min
episode D4vd: Fake Amazon Name, Real Address — The Digital Trail He Left Behind artwork

D4vd: Fake Amazon Name, Real Address — The Digital Trail He Left Behind

Prosecutors allege David Burke used the alias "Victoria Mendez" to order items from Amazon in the weeks following Celeste Rivas Hernandez's alleged murder. The name was fake. The shipping address wasn't. Every package went straight to his Hollywood Hills home. Here's the thing about trying to hide behind a fake name while ordering to your own front door — Amazon has records. Delivery drivers have GPS logs. And according to prosecutors, investigators now have forty terabytes of evidence. The alleged cover-up, as laid out by prosecutors, reads like someone who thought digital breadcrumbs disappear on their own. An album release party the day after the alleged murder. A shovel ordered via Postmates that same morning. Geotagged Instagram content posted on a date investigators say remains were being dismembered. And a Tesla — parked on a Hollywood street for over a month — with what prosecutors allege was inside it. Multiple friends and associates allegedly noticed a strong smell coming from that car. Reportedly said nothing. The case broke open when a tow yard worker noticed the smell and made a call. This is Part Two of a three-part Hidden Killers investigation tracing every alleged move David Burke made — and every digital receipt he allegedly left behind while making them. Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/ [https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/] Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1 [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1] Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ [https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/] Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ [https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/] Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod [https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod] X Twitter https://x.com/TrueCrimePod [https://x.com/TrueCrimePod] This publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice. #D4vd #CelesteRivas #HiddenKillers #DavidBurke #TrueCrime #Amazon #CoverUp #Tesla #Murder #JusticeForCeleste

13. juli 202610 min
episode D4vd Case: Two Sheriff's Departments Had His Name and Still Did Nothing artwork

D4vd Case: Two Sheriff's Departments Had His Name and Still Did Nothing

David Burke — known to millions as the artist D4vd — had his name, number, and address in the hands of two separate sheriff's departments. Both were actively investigating a missing child. Celeste Rivas Hernandez was thirteen years old. Deputies allegedly called Burke. They went to his home. According to prosecutors, they were told directly how old she was. And then — here's where it gets hard to square — they moved on. Celeste had been reported missing three times. Three times. And yet prosecutors allege that over the following year, she traveled with Burke to Las Vegas, London, and Texas. She allegedly met his family. She and Burke allegedly got matching tattoos. She had his name permanently inked on her ring finger. Prosecutors also allege Burke paid a thousand dollars to one of Celeste's junior high classmates to hand her a replacement phone — a workaround after her parents cut off contact. A thirteen-year-old. A burner phone. And two law enforcement agencies with his name already in their files. This is Part One of a three-part Hidden Killers investigation into the D4vd case — and into the adults who allegedly watched every red flag sail right past them. Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/ [https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/] Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1 [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1] Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ [https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/] Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ [https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/] Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod [https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod] X Twitter https://x.com/TrueCrimePod [https://x.com/TrueCrimePod] This publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice. #D4vd #CelesteRivasHernandez #HiddenKillers #DavidBurke #TrueCrime #SystemFailure #WelfareCheck #LakeElsinore #JusticeForCeleste #MissingChild

13. juli 202610 min
episode Why Did The Defense Try To Seal The D4VD People's Brief? artwork

Why Did The Defense Try To Seal The D4VD People's Brief?

The defense called the People's Brief "entirely one-sided" and tried to seal it. The judge disagreed. This look back walks through what prosecutors put on the record in that filing — and why the defense didn't want the public to see it. According to Deputy DA Beth Silverman's filing, the alleged relationship between David Anthony Burke and Celeste Rivas Hernandez began when she was eleven years old. By thirteen, they were allegedly involved. Deputies told Burke directly that she was thirteen during a welfare check. Prosecutors say he continued. By fourteen, she was reportedly spending time at his Hollywood Hills home, traveling with him across the country, while people in his world apparently believed she was a nineteen-year-old college student. When her parents took her phone, prosecutors allege Burke drove to Lake Elsinore and paid a classmate a thousand dollars to deliver a replacement. The filing goes further — laying out the specific digital evidence prosecutors pulled from Burke's cloud accounts, the sequence of events the night Celeste allegedly died, a purchase timeline prosecutors say demonstrates planning, and the forensic evidence that allegedly connects specific items to the condition of her remains. Retired FBI Special Agent Jennifer Coffindaffer breaks down what the pattern described in the filing reveals, how the alleged timeline connects directly to the murder motive, and what the evidence looks like from a federal investigative perspective. Burke has pleaded not guilty. His defense team says the evidence will prove his innocence. We revisit where the case stood at the time of our reporting. This is what they tried to keep sealed. Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/ [https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/] Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1 [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1] Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ [https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/] Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ [https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/] Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod [https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod] X Twitter https://x.com/TrueCrimePod [https://x.com/TrueCrimePod] This publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice. #D4VD #CelesteRivasHernandez #DavidAnthonyBurke #PeoplesBrief #BethSilverman #JenniferCoffindaffer #Unsealed #JusticeForCeleste #TrueCrime #TheD4VDCase

12. juli 202635 min